Down Once More
by un amour
Summary: Two lovers. One stalker. Mysterious occurances. The past comes to haunt Christine once more.( See the prologue for the complete summary. )


_Greetings to you all. Since all of my summery will not fit, I will place it here. This story will be a bit slow, but it does have a point. It is a pick up from the recent movie, and I do hope you enjoy it. Please read and review. _

_**Disclaimer:** I do not own The Phantom Of The Opera. Any version, in any way, any how. If I did, would I be sitting here right now? ...I doubt it very much so._

_**Summary:** R/C, yet it will change. Rating is for possible adult situations in the future: After leaving Erik, Raoul and Christine get married. Christine has been called out to attend a new opera house for new chances at success with her singing career, but when strange things begin to happen, what is she to do? An anonymous letter, odd dreams and occurances. Who is this stalker? What do they want? Is it someone from the past?_

**PROLOGUE**

"You try my patience, make your choice!" The man before me said, his entire face wet with tears, his graying hair hanging into his unmasked face, unmanaged. He looked at me, glaring at me with his sunken eye.

I watched as Erik angrily and impatiently tugged the noose even tighter around Raoul's neck. A painful breath seemed to be shoved out of his lungs, and he coughed, a clear liquid coming from his throat.

Tears began to sting at my eyes.

"Pitiful creature of darkness...what kind of life, have you known...?" I whispered, slowly walking to him. His eyes lost all insanity, and they became sad, and full of loneliness, yet he still gripped the rope tightly.

"God give me courage to show you, you are not alone..."

I then forced my lips to his, and clasped his face in my hands gently. For that one moment, all of time had seemed to stand still, and when I pulled away, he looked at me, tears escaping from his eyes, as he sobbed uncontrollably.

The crowd could be heard from the spiral stairway...

"Track down this murderer he must be found!" They screamed over and over again, their voices echoing on the walls. Erik let out a shuttering sigh in-between his sobs.

"Take him, forget me, forget all of this! Leave me alone...forget all you've seen!" He passed by me, making his way to the stairs through the dark, cold water. I looked at him. "Go now! Don't let them find you!"

I ran to Raoul and began to untie the knots of the ropes, which bound him to the iron gate.

"Take the boat, swear to me, never to tell... the secret you know, of the angel in hell!" He angrily yelled to me from his platform. I finally freed Raoul from the ropes which bound him to the gate, and took him into my arms, sobbing. It had seemed like ages since I had felt his embrace.

"Go now, go now and LEAVE ME!" He screamed, and I turned to look. He had turned his back to me, and walked to the bedchamber.

"Wait here..." I whispered, leaving Raoul to get the boat ready. I walked up the stairs slowly. I heard the music of his music box playing that slow, sweet melody I had heard so many times. He was sitting on the floor, his face streaked with tears, staring as the monkey chimed his cymbals together, and he looked up to me with the most hopeful gaze, with a hopeful smile on his lips to match.

"Christine...I love you..." He said in a raspy, shaking voice. Those words, those words alone made my heart sink deep into my chest. I could not turn back then.

I pulled the ring he had given me from my finger, fell to my knees and opened his hand. His eyes had began to fill with tears as he looked at me with such longing, such sadness. I set the small silver piece of jewelry into his hand, and brought his fingers to close over it. The hopeful smile he had, was now gone. Another tear rolled down his cheek as stood to my feet, and turned to walk away. I could not bear the sight of him any longer.

I returned to Raoul who was standing in the boat, awaiting my return. I climbed in with him, and wrapped my arms around his waist tightly. He took the pole which had been propped on the wall, and began to push us through the muggy water slowly. As we were drifting from that place I had known so well, I looked back. Erik was standing upon the platform, watching as we left him to the crowd. With my heart full of guilt, I turned by head back into the direction we were going. He had looked so very pitiful, and alone.

That was the last I saw of him, but not the last I would ever see of him.

His face, his voice, his touch...still lingered in my thoughts.


End file.
